09

October 2014

Inside this issue….

Upcoming Workshops

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www.uhntrainees.ca

For information on UHN training courses, scholarships, seminars

happening around the city and so much more, visit

www.uhntrainees.ca.

Vector Core Facility

The ORT Times A monthly newsletter featuring UHN Trainees

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Click here to access past issues from our archive.

The ORT Office of Research Trainees

08 Conference Reports

07 Recent Awardees

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Latest & Greatest

Upcoming Events & Funding Opportunities

‘TRAINING THE TRAINEE’

UPCOMING CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

HOSTED BY THE ORT

The ORT is proud to announce the launch of the 2014-2015 series of upcoming career development workshops. 1. “Strategic Storytelling: Marketing Yourself for Industry or

Government Careers”. November 14, 1.30-5.30pm. Connect with Science to Business Network (S2BN) members—expert panelists who will share their experience transitioning from academic training to government or industry! Click here to register. See page 3 of this issue to read about S2BN.

2. “Science Writing Workshop”. Co-hosted with the CIHR Training

Program in Regenerative Medicine (TPRM). Mark the date: February 17, 2015. More details to follow.

3. “Begin with the End in Mind: Planning for a Successful Career in

Science”. This interactive workshop will help trainees create Independent Development Plan (IDP) tailored to their career aspirations. Mark the date: February 28, 2015. More details to follow.

4. “The Art of Presenting Professionally”. This two-day workshop

will teach trainees how to distinguish themselves from their peers during next job interview or oral presentation. More details to follow. Date TBA.

CLICK HERE TO PRINT THIS ISSUE.

SPOTLIGHT: Vector Core Facility By Shaalee Dworski

If you’ve ever made your own virus, you know how much time, specific reagents, and just plain know-how are required to get a good amount of virus that works. The UHN Vector Core Facility opened last year to facilitate this process for UHN researchers and provide them with trustworthy lentiviruses. The advantage of lentivirus Lentivirus vectors are great for generating long-term, stable expression of genes in a variety of cells and tissues. Lentivectors effectively transduce both dividing and non-dividing cells and integrate into the genome, meaning they will be passed down through each cell division. This makes lentivirus vectors desirable for altering gene expression over time.

Applications of lentivirus Lentivectors can be used to label cells with a fluorescent or an extracellular tag enabling researchers to track transduced cells in vivo, for long periods of time. Lentivectors are great for transducing a variety of cell types with high efficiency to engineer high levels of expression or silencing of your gene(s) of interest. The Facility’s custom lentivirus vectors allow you to design any vector to express up to three nucleic acid sequences. They offer free consultation and help with vector design - just send them the details and they will do the rest. Cell fate control Patient safety is the primary concern when developing new treatments. Cell fate control elements can be added to the lentivirus to ensure that, if needed, all infected cells can be removed by drug induction. This is beneficial for treatments that involve injection of ex vivo manipulated cells: if anything goes wrong, such as over-proliferation, all you have to do is administer the safe prodrug to the patient and only those cells that were injected will convert the prodrug into a toxic drug and be selectively killed. The cell fate control element can also be used to induce apoptosis in tumour cells. We spoke with the director of the Vector Core Facility, Dr. Jeffrey Medin. SD: What kind of guidance can you provide to labs who have never designed a virus before? JM: We provide full consultation. We can help you design the plasmid with your gene(s) of interest and suggest features that will enhance its expression and ease the analysis of results. We also have stocks of eGFP and other fluorophores that can be used off-the-shelf to track a variety of cell types. SD: How has your product compared to that of other companies? JM: We have tested lentiviruses from other companies and found that our titres were higher, meaning more cells can be transduced with the same amount of virus. SD: Are you planning on expanding your virus repertoire? JM: In addition to lentivirus, we’re working on expanding to adeno-associated virus, which is ideal for transducing brain cells. For more information, please visit the Vector Core Facility’s website.

Core facility spotlightCore facility spotlightCore facility spotlight

Office of Research Trainees 02

Vector Core Facility Staff. From bottom left, clockwise: Cesar Moncada de la Rosa, Nadejda Andreev, Jonathan Lam, Bryan Au, & William Montgomery McKillop.

SCIENCE TO BUSINESS NETWORK

The article “You are More Marketable Than You Realize” published in a previous issue of The ORT Times, provided important and useful tips to help trainees market themselves in the non-academic job market. This month’s issue of The ORT Times includes another article within the same theme that highlights the Science to Business Network (S2BN)—a community of graduate level-trained scientists who have launched successful careers in a variety of industries.

About the S2BN In 2004, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) introduced the Science to Business (S2B) Scholarship to enable doctoral students in a health-related field to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and to accelerate the translation of Canadian research discoveries into useful products, processes and services. Leveraging their business training in a variety of ways, recipients of the Scholarship have pursued careers in management, regulatory affairs, consulting, finance, public policy and other commercialization endeavors such as technology transfer and entrepreneurship. In 2011, a core group of recipients of the CIHR S2B Scholarship formed the S2BN whose community now includes over 150 business-minded scientists who are working in leadership roles in various industries across Canada. As explained by Dr. Bruce Seet, founder of the S2BN, the group was formed with the vision “to develop Canada into a world-class center for innovation and technology commercialization”. Given that S2BN consists of individuals who have experience in academia and industry, its efforts have focused on “helping to harness the talents of young Canadian scientists who are at the front line of discovery research and who have the potential to significantly contribute to Canada’s innovation environment”.

Efforts to improve innovation in Canada The S2BN believes that improving academia’s contribution to innovation in Canada depends on enhancing infrastructure in and around the research community to encourage innovative thinking and entrepreneurism; on improving linkages between academic researchers and private sector partners; and on providing young scientists and other graduate-level trainees with more professional skills training. In brief, the group feels that innovation needs to be embedded as a complementary component of Canada’s research culture and training environment. To assist in enhancing this aspect of Canada’s innovation ecosystem, the S2BN organizes and frequently participates in events aimed at helping graduate-level trainees in career-related development and transitions; it organizes networking events to connect like-minded professionals in academia and industry; and it is a partner for outreach educational programs that promote innovation among teens and young scientists.

Office of Research Trainees 03

Join the S2BN and the ORT on November 14th! The ORT, S2BN, and CGC Educational Communications’ Marcia Cunningham and partner John Gregory invite UHN trainees to the S2B Career Day workshop entitled “Strategic Storytelling: Marketing Yourself for Industry or Government Careers” to be held on November 14th, 2014 @ 1.30pm. REGISTER TODAY! This interactive workshop will help trainees: Learn why storytelling is an effective tool for communicating who they

are and what they offer Understand how compelling stories can help them get the job Enhance their understanding of possible career paths outside of academia Learn about transitioning from academia to government or industry Connect with recent graduate-level scientists who have successfully made

the transition to non-academic career paths Questions? Contact The ORT!

For questions about the S2BN, email Bruce T. Seet, PhD, MBA,

President, S2BN or visit S2BN online at www.s2bn.ca

Special FeatureSpecial FeatureSpecial Feature

SuccessSuccessSuccess

The ORT would like to thank all of the applicants for this award. It is our pleasure to announce the recipients of the July 2014 ORT Conference Travel Award: MSc Program (alphabetical order): Nisha Nigil Haroon, TGRI - Dr. Angela Cheung Michael Li, TRI - Dr. Babak Taati Madhur Nayan, PM Cancer Centre - Dr. Rob Hamilton Postdoctoral Fellow (alphabetical order): Kenji Chamoto, PM Cancer Centre - Dr. Naoto Hirano Nicole Forgione, TWRI - Dr. Michael Fehlings Alejandro Gomez, PM Cancer Centre - Dr. Armand Keating Alisa Grigorovich, TRI - Dr. Jill Cameron Hiroki Shimizu, TGRI - Dr. Mingyao Liu Vanessa Tran, TGRI - Dr. Kevin Kain Mike Vesia, TWRI - Dr. Robert Chen Zenbo Zheng, TWRI - Dr. Nigil Haroon Conference reports from our awardees will be featured in future issues of The ORT Times! Congratulations to our awardees!

Office of Research Trainees 04

July 2014 ORT Conference Travel Award

Pictured: First row (bottom, from left to right): N. Haroon, Z. Zhang, L. Rotin, V. Tran, N. Forgione Second row (middle, from left to right): M. Nayan, C. Barbon, K. Chamoto, A. Grigorovich Third row (top, from left to right): M. Li, C. Hamilton, H. Shimizu

PhD Program (alphabetical order): Carly Barbon, TRI - Dr. Catriona Steele Casey Hamilton, TWRI - Dr. Karen Davis Seungmee Park, TWRI - Dr. Shuzo Sugita Lianne Rotin, PM Cancer Centre - Dr. Aaron Schimmer

SuccessSuccessSuccess

Office of Research Trainees 05

Congratulations to the winner of the 2014 Toronto Western Research Institute (TWRI) Postdoctoral Fellowship Award!

2014 TWRI Postdoctoral Fellowship Award

Ran Antes, PhD

Supervisor: Dr. Philippe Monnier, TWRI Project Title: Promoting visual recovery by targeting the RGMa/Neogenin pathway Summary of funded project: The project aims to develop new strategies for promoting photoreceptor survival and connectivity. These strategies will be based on the manipulation of the RGMa/Neogenin pathway, which has been shown to block axonal growth, promote cell death, and inhibit regeneration following damage to the central nervous system (CNS).

SuccessSuccessSuccess

Office of Research Trainees 06

Congratulations to the 2014 Toronto General Research Institute (TGRI) Postdoctoral Fellowship Award winners! Each year, TGRI holds an internal competition for its Postdoctoral Fellowship Support Awards each valued at $25,000. This year, the six (6) trainees listed below were selected for funding. All award winners will present their research during the upcoming TGRI Seminar Series. Information about the 2015 TGRI Postdoctoral Fellowship Award will be available in the spring of 2015. Congratulations to these aspiring Scientists!

2014 TGRI Postdoctoral Fellowship Award

Mia Biondi, PhD Supervisor: Jordan Feld, TGRI Project Title: Clinical application of diagnostic nantotechnology for Hepatitis C and viral coinfection.

Naomi De Silva, PhD Supervisor: Andrea McCart, TGRI Project Title: Targeting tumour vasculature with oncolytic viruses

Uladzimir Karniychuk, PhD Supervisor: David Kelvin, TGRI Project Title: Exploration of human umbilical cord stem cell therapeutic effects to improve outcomes in experimental severe influenza

Nathan Ni, PhD Supervisor: Ren-Ke Li, TGRI Project Title: Age-mediated alterations to post-myocardial infarction macrophage mobilization

Vanessa Tran, PhD Supervisor: Kevin Kain, TGRI Project Title: Structure-function mapping of CD36 for oxidized LDL and malaria-infected erythrocytes

Andy Wong, PhD Supervisor: Angela Cheung, TGRI Project Title: The CaMOS muscle quality and frailty study

Conference ReportsConference ReportsConference Reports

Office of Research Trainees 07

Trainee: Michael Li, MASc Candidate Supervisor: Babak Taati, TRI Conference: 36th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC’14) – August 26-30, 2014, Chicago, IL Abstract: A non-contact vision-based system for respiratory rate estimation Click here to read Michael’s conference report!

Trainee: Nisha Haroon, MSc candidate Supervisor: Angela Cheung, TGRI Conference: American Society of Bone Mineral Research Annual Meeting, September 11-15, 2014, Houston, TX Abstract: Alterations of volumetric bone density, microarchitecture and strength in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a case-control study using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computerized tomography. Click here to read Nisha’s conference report!

Latest and Greatest Trainee Publications Latest and Greatest Trainee Publications Latest and Greatest Trainee Publications

Office of Research Trainees 08

A comparison of neural responses to appetitive and aversive stimuli in humans and other animals

Hayes DJ, Duncan NW, Xu J, Northoff G. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2014 Sep;45:350-68 Summary by Stuart Faulkner It is a hot summer’s day. You have been hiking for hours and are now thirsty and hungry. You spy an apple tree laden with juicy apples, but it is on the other side of an electric fence. Should you attempt to reach the source of nourishment knowing you will likely get an unpleasant electric shock? What is your brain doing while you decide what to do? The evaluation of ‘appetitive’ (positive - the apple) and ‘aversive’ (negative – the electric fence) stimuli are vital to an organism’s well-being and survival. This value-related processing reflects the activity of appetitive- and aversive-related networks within the brain. Traditionally, research has investigated the brain activity of the appetitive and aversive networks in isolation. However, mounting evidence suggests that these networks, once thought to be apposing, may interact. Using a comprehensive analysis of data published from both human and animal imaging studies, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Mojgan Hodaie’s group (TWRI), was able to identify brain regions and networks that are shared by these two opposing behaviours. From data published in human studies, brain regions such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex appear selective for appetitive activity, the cingulate motor cortex for aversive activity, while the amygdala and anterior insular reflect overlap between the two. Data published in animal studies indicated that the overlap is greater still and includes other brain regions . Furthermore, clustered cellular responses to apposing stimuli within the same brain region and left-right hemispheric preferences to stimuli exist. These results suggest that simultaneous processing of both appetitive and aversive stimuli is a far more complex process than once thought and could involve other sensory systems such as vision or more generalized emotion . Drawing a detailed map of this tangle of networks in the brain will contribute to our understanding of brain dysfunction and the role of affect/emotion in neuropsychological disorders such as addiction, depression and anxiety. So next time you face a ‘juicy apple/electric fence’ scenario, just remember that split second decision is an orchestra of brain circuits fighting to be heard. Click here to access the full manuscript. The ORT’s science writer, Dr. Stuart Faulkner recently spoke with Dr. Dave Hayes to get his viewpoint on the following: SF: How can this new knowledge translate into understanding and treating neuropsychological disorders? DH: Changes in affect/emotion are seen in most mental health disorders. Although previously believed to be of secondary importance, affective brain activity has been increasingly underscored as a major component. Using neuroimaging in medical care to look at this activity in patients with neuropsychological disorders (eg, depression, anxiety and chronic pain) will help us develop more effective treatments and achieve better outcomes. SF: What do you foresee as the biggest hurdle to future progress within this field? DH: This field requires a truly translational and multidisciplinary approach for progress to occur. Currently, there are too few faculty positions for young neuroscientists trained in this fashion. Also, there needs to be more cross talk between neuroscientists and clinical practitioners so that improved therapeutic strategies, leading to better patient care, can be explored.

Postdoctoral Fellow: Dr. Dave Hayes Supervisor: Dr. Mojgan Hodaie, TWRI

U P C O M I N G E V E N T S & F U N D I N G C A L E N DA R :

11/03 ORT Conference Travel Award

The ORT launches three competitions per year to support trainees at UHN to attend various

conferences worldwide. Click here for more details.

11/03 Postdoctoral Fellowship

CIHR is offering fellowships for post-PhDs. Click here for funding details.

11/14 Science to Business Network

Workshop Network with S2BN members and learn why

storytelling will help trainees with job interviews. Click here to register.

12/01 2015 John Charles Polanyi Prize

All Postdoctoral Fellows are encouraged to apply for this $20,000 award.

Click here for details.

12/14 UT Research Accelerator

A platform that facilitates easy and secure collaboration and sharing of data and

resources. Trial period September 15 to Dec 14, 2014. Click here for access.

Visit www.uhntrainees.ca for more events and funding information.

To print this issue, click here.

Office of Research Trainees 09

Mother’s Dumplings………….………………………………..421 Spadina Ave

FOOD FOR THOUGHT by Priscilla De Luca It seems like every culture has their own warm version of ‘food in a pocket’. Chinese dumplings are my favorite and Mother’s Dumplings make them extraordinarily. Located south of College St on Spadina, this restaurant is a must try!

“Piled Higher and Deeper” by Jorge Cham www.phdcomics.com

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